Apparatus for handling well casings



3 Sheets-Shet l C. R. CROSSEN Filed Jan. 26, 1927 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING WELL CASINGS ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 192s.

Dec. 25, 1928.

C. R. CROSSEN APPARATUS FOR HANDLING WELL CASINGS Filed Jan. 26, 1927 -3 sheets-sheet v2 ATTORNEY x i l Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

CARL R. CROSSEN, OF BELL, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING NELL CASINGS.

Application led lanuary 26, 1927.

illy invention relates to apparatus for handling well casings of the character embodied in my copending application Serial No., 163,769, `liled Jan. 26, 192i'.

lt is a purpose of my present invention to pro-vide an apparatus for handling ivell casing' and similar forms of Well tubing while in a Well and through the medium of the conventional rotary drill pipe, my invention being characterized from that embodied in my copendinkg; application lby the substitution for the hydraulic means of a meonanical means for actuating the instrument to engage or disengage the ivell casing.

l Will describe only one form of apparatus for handlin` Well casing` embodying my invention and will then point out the novel fea turcs thereof in claims.

ln the accompanying` drawings,

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are fragmentary vertical sectional views d continuations of each other showing one form of apparatus for handlingl Well casing` embodying` my invention in applied positi n to a drill pipe and well casing; f

Figures Ll, 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines 41rd, 5 5, and 6g@ of Figures 2 and 3;

Figure T is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a different position of the apparatus from that shown in Figure 2 g Y Figure 8 is a continuation of Figure 7 and a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the instrument of the apparatus in contracted position.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 3 and 8, my invention, in its present embodiment, is shown comprising an instrument for handling` ivell casing` similar in principle of operation to the instrument embodied in my copendingv application hereinbefore referred to in that it is capable of occupying` a contracted position, as shown in Figu re 8, in which it is freelyinsentible into a Well casing' W and in an expanded position, as shown in Figure 3, in which it engages the Well casing for handlingl of the latter. This instrument, in the present instance', is a fishing tool, but it is to be understood that it may be a perforating tool or any other form of tool capable of handling Well casing. rllhe instrument comprises four slips having inclined inner surfaces 16 provided with grooves 17 in which Work tongues 18 Serial No. 163,770.

i rmed on an expander element 19, the latter bang square in cross section, as snorvn in Figure G, and provided with a conical lower end, as shoivn in Figure 8. The grooves 1'? anc the tongues 18 are dove-tailed in form, as shown in Figure 6, in order to provide an operative connection between the expander elementI and the slips, so that as the former is moved upwardly from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shovvn in F i 0ure 3, the slips Will be moved to expanded position to engage and securely grip the inner Wall of the Well casing W. The expander element 19 is provided with an upwardly extending stein 2O which is squared in cross section, as shown in Figure 5, and Which is provided with a collar 21 movable in grooves 22 of the slips 15 to abut a shoulder 23 at the lower ends of the grooves and to thereby limit the downward movement ofthe expander element to the position shown in Figure 8., The upper ends of the slips are provided with heads 211 inovablysupported in a collar 25 threaded onthe lower end of a tubular body 26 provided With pockets 27 receiving; springs 28 which engage the heads 2a to yieldably urge the slips to expanded position. fr centering' bell 29 is threaded on the collar 25, and this bell is designed for the purpose of centering the instrument in its downward movement with respect to the Well casingllV so that it can be readily inserted into the upper end of the latter.

The lower end of the body 26 is provided centrally with a vsopuared opening 3G which slidably receives the stem 20. rlhe stem is extended upwardly beyond the opening 30, Where it is screivthreaded, as indicated at 31, for engagement by a tubular shaft 32 formed oi? sections to facilitate assembling and interiorly screw-threaded, as indicated at 33, so that When rotated the stem can be moved upwardly or downwardly, depending' upon the direction of rotation of such shaft. This shaft 32 is supported in ball bearings 34, and its upper end is provided with a collar 35 to receive and have splined connection with the lower end of a driven shaft 3G, in order thatrotation of the latter Will eiect rotation of the tubular shaft 32, yet permitting longitudinal adjustment ofthe driven shaft.

As shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the body 26 is threadedly associated With a connecting member 37 constructed to rotatably receive the driven shaft 3G and provided with a chamber 38 containing` a centering and spacl y ing sleeve 89 -tor au expansib'le spring 40, the upper' end of which latter bears against a ball bearing 4l associated with the flange ot a cap 42 rotatably embracing a e'- llar of the shalt 86, and thereby causing the spring 40 to 'function in vieldably urging the shaft upwardly to the position shown in Figure T.

A barrel 44 is threadedly connected at its lou'er end to the connecting member 8?. and in this barrel is contained a rmersing` gear con nection, including a tubular easing 45 ronstructed 'to accommodate a trame 4G having .a collar'4i' threadedly connected to the cap 42. This trame 46 is constructed to provide mountings tor stub shafts 48 carrying` planetary pinions 49 which constantly mesh with bevel gears '50 and 5l. is clearly shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the driven shatt 36 extends into the trame and is squared to receive the gear 50. rhe gear 5l is mounted on the lotver and squared end of a` driving shaft 52, which likewise extends into the tra-me. so that the adjacent ends et the tivo shafts are in contronting relation to nach other. The driving` shaitt is `provided with collar 53 rotatable in a` cap 54 provided on the frame 46.

The upper end of the casing 45 is provided with teeth 55 which are adapted to mesh with teeth 56 on a collar 57 formed at the loiver end ot` a tubular driving connector 58. The driving shaft 52 extends into the driving` connector 58 and is adapted for operative Connection therewith hy two keys and 6()j either of which is adapted to engage within any one ot a plurality ot grooves 6l. The construction and arrangement ot the grooves is clearly shoivn in Figure 4. The keys 59 and 60 are disposed in pockets 62 formed in the shaft 52 but are normally urged to projected positions by a` spring 68. Vrihe keys are mounted on resilient arms 64 secured to the shaft- 52, and the opposite ends of the keys are beveled as indicated at 65 in order to permit unrestricted longitudinal movement oi the driving connecter 58 to engage or disengage either of the keys. rllhe teeth 55 et the casing 45 are also adapted to engage teeth 66 on a stationary sleeve 6T secured Within the barrel 44 for av purpose to be described hereinafter.

As shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the barrel 44 is threadedly connected to a collar 68 through Which the drivingconnector 58 e-Xtends. As shown in 'Figure l, the -upper end oi the drivingl connector is threadedly Connected to a` collar 69, the latter in turn being threadedly connected to a rotary drill pipe 70. A partition ".71 is formed in the collar 69 and provided With an open-` ing normally closed lby a` plug 72. the opening providing means through which lubricant can be supplied interiorly of the driving connector 58 and, hence, to the movable Aparts oi' the apparatus.

The operation oi' the a.ppara-tus` is as iolloWs: is will be gained troni the preceding description, the d 'ivinpg connector 58 through the medium et the collar 69 is adaiited tor connection to the lower end of a rotary drill To pipe, the pipe being utilized to lorcahe apparat-us into the Well in order trat the instrument carried thereby may be inserted to have handling` engagement therewith. Sis the apparatus is lowered into a Well th i lriving connector' 58 or rather the collar cupies the elevated position shovvn in and-dash lines in Figure 25 in ivhc gages the collar 68 so that the et Y tus is suspended trom the collar. sit-ion ot the driving connector.. operative connection with the d t t 525 so that should the drill pipo be rotate( its motion vwill not be imparted to the shaft 52. As the apparatus is lowered, the center ing bell 29 finally engages and passes over the upper end of the Well casing, thereby eentering the lower end of the instrun'ient vith respeet to the upper end oit the Well casing. Continued lowering with the instruir.:I it in UG the contracted position shown in permits the insertion ot such insl'rume^L l the Well casing. being understood that parts ot the apparatus tor actuating the i strument are in the. positions shown in ures T and 8.

To effect expansion of the. instrument to cause the slips l5 to securely grip the casing to permit subsequent Withdrawal the casing or any section thereof, it is necessary to elevate the expander i9 from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shown in Figure 8. and this accomplished in the lollo manner: By further lowering the drill p; the driving connector is lowered to thU posi tion shown in *l e lOl) cl ure 2 to cause me re 56 oi the collar 5'? to engage the teeth or the casing 45. and to cause the key o() to engage Wit-hin one et the groove?` ot the collar; in th's position oi t vvill be noted that im the driving connector the ivelgl tire drill pipe is imposed on the. casino; 45 to torce the latter downwardly trom the posit-ion shown in Figure 7 to that sho Figur-e 8, in which the teeth are n out oi engagement with the t teeth 66. and the casing new reposes on the connecting member 37. By now rotating the drill pipe.. the member 58l` as Well the drivin att 52. ivill be rotated in the same therehy causing` rotation oit 'the revel gear connection as a unit., which. a. a consequence` causes rotation oi the driven shat't 36 in the same direction as that ot the driving' shait 52. lVith the driven shaft 86 rotating, it -Will be clear that the tulnilar sha1-t new functions through its threz. d conncrtion with the stem 2O to elevate the eniliaudrr element 'i9 to the elevated position shown in Figure 3, whereby through the medium ot LSU the tongue-and-groove connections with the slips the latter are moved to expanded position. With the instrument in this expanded position, it will be clear that by elevating the ent-ire apparatus: through the medium of the drill pipe the well casing can be withdrawn from the well.

'lo release the Vwell casing while the latter is within the well or after it has been withdrawn therefrom, the instrument can be moved to the contracted position shown in Figure 8 by elevating the collar 57 through elevation of the drill pipe to the position shown in Figure i', in which the key 59 engages within one of the grooves Gl to provide an operative connection between the driving connector 58 and the driving shaft 52. is the driving connector is elevated to this position, the weight of the drill pipe is removed from the casing 45, so that the spring 40 can now function to elevate the casing and the entire reversing gear connection to the position shown 'in Figure 7, in which the teeth 55 are moved into meshing relation to the teeth 66 of the sleeve 6'?, thus effecting locking of the casing against rotation within the barrel. Upon rotation of the drill pipe, the driving shaft 52 will be driven as before, but as the casing l5 is now locked against rotation the shaft 52 will be free to drive its gear 5l, thereby driving the pinions i9 about their own aires and thus causing reverse rotan tion of the gear 50. ln this manner, the driven shaft 36 is rotated in the reverse direction from that of the shaft 52, thereby causing the tubular shaft 32 to feed the stem downwardly to move the expander element to contracted position, and thereby permitting the withdrawal of the instrument from the well casing.L

Although i have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus for handling well casings mbodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and .modifications may be made therein with.- out departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

l claim as my invention:

l. An apparatus ofL the character de scribed comprising an instrument capable of occupying either of 'two extreme positions, means for actuating the instrument, rotary means for operating the means in one direction or the other to move the instrument to one extreme position or the other` and means by which the rotary means is adapted for operative connection to a rotary drill pipe in a manner to vbe driven thereby in one direction or the other in response to unidirectional rotation of the drill pipe. n

i2. An apparatus of the character described comprising an instrument capable of occupying either of two extreme positions, screw means for actuating the instrument., a

two part shaft having a part connected to the screw means, a reversing gear connection between the shaft parts, and means by which the other part of the shaft is adapted for operative connection to a rotary drill pipe so as to utilize the unidirectional rotation of the drill pipe to drive the shaft part or the reversing gear connection as a whole whereby the screw means can be actuated to move the instrument to either of its extreme positions.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising an instrument capable of occupying either of two eXtreme positions, screw means for actuating the instrument, a two part shaft, one part having a splined connection with the screw means to permit said part to occupy either of two extreme positions yet maintaining a driving connection therewith, a reversing gear connection between the shaft parts, a toothed casing for the reversing gear connection, a hired toothed element, means for yieldably urging the caing to a position in which. it has toothed engagement with the fixed element to cause u the reversing gear connection to drive the splined shaft part in the same direction as the other shaft part, a.driving member having a toothed head, and means to effect and maintain a driving connection between the other shaft part and the driving member in either of two positions of the latter, the driving,r member adapted for operative connection to a rotary drill pipe to be rotated thereby and movable by the drill pipe to one of its positions in which its head engages the casing and moves the latter out of engagement with the fixed element, or to the other position in which its head is out of engagement with the casing to allow the latter to engage the fixed element. whereby the splined shaft part can be driven in one direction or the othe1 and the screw means actuated accordingly to move the instrument to one extreme position or the other.

a. In an apparatus of the character described, an instrument capa ole of being inserted into a well casing and movable to oc.- cupy one position in which it grips the casing and another position in which it disengages the casing to permit the withdrawal thereof, screwpmeans for actuating trie instrument, a driven shaft for actuating the screw means, a driving shaft rotatable in one direction and adapted to actuate the driven shaft, a reversing gear connection between the shafts including a toothed casing, a stationary toothed member, a driving connector telescopically associated with the driving shaft to occupy two positions, means providiin3 an operative connection between the driving connector and the driving shaft when the former is in either of its two positions, yieldable means for urging the reversing gear connection upwardly to cause the toothed casing to enga-ge the toothed member ier locking the'casing against rotation, and a Vtoothed element on the driving connector adapted to engage the toothed casing and to more the latter out oi engagement with the toothed element when in one position ot the driving connector whereby both the casing and gearing ofthe reversing gear connection are driven as a unit.

5. ln an apparatus of the lcharaeter described, an instrument capable oi being inserted into al well casing and movable to occupy one position in which it grips the casing and another position in which it disengages the casing to permit the withdrawal thereof, means tor actuating the instrument, a driven shatt 'for actuating said means, a driving shaflt adapted to actuate the driven shai't, a reversing gear connection between the shafts including a casing, a stationary member, means on the casing and member for providing an operative connection between the two, a drii" g connector' movable to occupy two posit-ions, means providing an operative connection between the driving connector and driving shai't when the former is in either ot its two positions, said reversing connection normally occupying one position in which said co-act-ing means operatively connects said casing and stationary member to lock the casing against rotation, and means on the driving connector adapted i'or operative connection with said co-actiing means on the casing tor providing an operative connection between the two and adapted to engage and move the casing to disrupt its operative connection with said stationary member when the driving' connector is in one of its positions, whereby both the casing and gearof said reversing connection are driven as a unit.

G. ln an apparatus of the character described, an instrument capable ot' being inserted into a well casing and movable to occupy one position in which it grips the casing and another position in which it disengages the casing to permit the withdrawal thereof, means for actuating the instrument, a two part sha-ift, one part of which is movable to either ot two positions, means l'or providing an operative connection between the first means and said shaft part in either ot the latters two positions, a reversing gear connection between the shaft parts and including a casing, a. hired element, means on the casing and elementco-acting to prov-ide an operative connection between the two, means for urging the casing to a. positie-n in which it has operative connection with said iiXed element to cause said reversing gear connection to drive said shaft part in the same direction as the other shaft part, a driving member, means to eii'eet and maintain a driving connection between the other shaft part and the driving member in either of two positions ot the latter, the driving member adapted iior operative connection to a rotary drill pi )e to be rotated thereby and movable by the drill pipe to one oit its positions in which it has operative yengagement with co-acting means on the casing and moves the latter out ot' engagement with said fixed element, or to the other position in which the driving member is `out ot engagement with the casing to allow the latter to engage the listed element whereby said first shaftl part can be driven in one direction or the other and said First means actuated accordingly to move the instrument t-o one or the other otl its positions.

T. An apparatus oif the character described comprising an instrument capable of occupying either of two extreme positions, mechanical means by which rotary mot-ion ot' a drill pipe is adapted to be utilized to move the instrument to either of its two extreme positions, and means :tor controlling t-he irst means adapted for connection to the drill pipe and responsive to longitudinal movement of the latter to cause t-he iirst means to move the instrument either to one or the other oi is positions according as the drill pipe occupies one position or another.

8. An apparatus ot the character described comprising an instrument capable ot occupying either of two extreme positions, means for actuating the instrument, a two part shatt having a part connected to the lirst means, a reversing gear connection between the shaft parts, and means by which the other part of the shaift is adapted for operative connection to a rotary drill pipe so as to utilize the unidirectional rotation of the drill pipe to drive the shaft part or the reversing gear connection as a whole whereby the iir t means can be actuated to move the instrument to either ot its extreme positions.

CARL R. CROSSEN. 

